


A Little Blue Book

by hhertzof



Category: The Secret Country Series - Pamela Dean
Genre: Epistolary, Gen, Post-Book 3: The Whim of the Dragon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 19:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20476508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhertzof/pseuds/hhertzof
Summary: Ellen's been happy enough with the way things turned out, but she misses her sister and her cousins.





	A Little Blue Book

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LittleRaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRaven/gifts).

Ellen found the book on her bed when she got home from school after play rehersal, one rainy winter day. It had been almost a year since Ruth and the others had left for the Hidden Land, and she had almost gotten used to not having her sister around. At least that's what she told herself.

It was a small hardcover book, bound in faded blue leather, in a style common in the Hidden Land, but not so common in Australia. A blue ribbon held a pen made of glass. If there had ever been a title on it, it had been worn away by time and other hands. 

She dropped her school bag on the floor and sat down on the bed, picking it up gingerly. She wasn't sure if she felt a tingling sensation when she untied the ribbon or if it was just wishful thinking, but when she opened the book and spied Ruth's familiar handwriting, she knew it had to be magical or sent to her by magic. She absently laid the pen on her nightstand, and opened the book.

_Dear Ellie,_ the handwriting said. _This is by way of an experiment. I discovered this spell in an old book at Heathwell Library and have been using it to correspond with Laura since Midwinter last. _

_The manner in which the spell works is simple enough. The magic is imbued in two (or in this case three) identical books, cut and bound from the same materials at the same time. The pen used must be glass so I have sent you one with the book, as Laura feared she'd broken the one you bought at the Renaissance Fair three years ago. Any ink should do. If you have none, get Dad to take you to that art supply shop you like so much and get some calligraphy ink. _

_The way it works is simple enough and needs no additional magic. Just write on the next blank page, and the writing will appear in our books. Any changes to one book will be reflected in the others. However, when we tried writing with a ballpoint pen that was in Uncle Thomas' pocket, no marks appeared, even though the pen worked well enough on other paper. Stick to the glass pen. _

_I am sorry you missed the wedding, but it was small (by Hidden Land standards - I found it overwhelming), and more than a little rushed. It is a marriage in name only until I finish my studies. I hope by that time, we will have found a way to bring the four of you over from Australia for the festivities. The spell Laura and I used to get the book to you only works on small objects and we are not even certain it will land the book where we intend._

_What else has happened since we left? Uncle Thomas & Aunt Nora have settled in well and become fast friends with Matthew and Celia of all people. Laura gets irritated at Margaret three times a day and it is making her less of a mouse. (She doesn't think I should have put that in, but she grumbles about it to me often enough.) Ted is headed for a political career, we think, though he won't admit it. Three people turned down the crown of the Hidden Land, for various complex political reasons that I don't pretend to understand, but we did finally find a new Queen, who is remarkably tolerant of all of this. I am enjoying my studies at Heathwell, though I miss everyone dreadfully sometimes._

_Perhaps you should hold off on telling Mom, Dad, and Patrick until we are certain it works between worlds. We have not told anyone besides Fence and Arry (a friend of mine from Heathwell, who I met after you left) yet, and they only know because they caught us whilst we were doing the spell to create the books. I am not sure what Arry thought of it, but Fence was both curious and hopeful, and assisted us with the transportation spell. So there is that._

_So how is life in the _real_ world? Has Patrick unbent at all? Have Mom and Dad recovered from my desertion? Read anything good lately?_

_I fear this epistle veers between Hidden Land formality and our world's vernacular, but it's almost a relief not to worry about such things for once._

_Your loving sister, Ruth_

Ellen read the letter three times before it finally sunk in. Then she picked up the pen and settled down at her desk, selecting her favorite green ink. Dipping her pen into the ink, with a practiced motion, she began,

_Dear Ruth & Laura,_

_Laura did not break that pen. I kept it safely away from her. She doesn't break half the things she thinks she does!!!_ She wondered if she should have led with that, but it was too late now. At least the green ink seemed to be working, so she continued,

_I knew you or Fence would come up with some solution. And this is a very clever one._ And that was enough flattery of her sister. Ellen had learnt a long time ago to be judicious about praising both her elder siblings. It tended to go to their heads and then she had to waste time in bringing them down a peg again.

_I've been keeping up with my calligraphy, so I have plenty of ink on hand. Everyone at school thinks it's simply amazing and I've been asked to help with any number of posters. The Hidden Land did teach me some useful skills._

_I am glad to hear that your marriage is in name only, you're way too young to be married, Ruth! And I'm also glad to hear that Laura is becoming less of a mouse. Tell Fence to take you on as an apprentice, Laura, if he hasn't thought of that already. You were better at magic than any of us, except maybe Ruth._

_Patrick's mostly the same old Patrick, except he's a little more willing to accept that he might be wrong about things and that maybe science isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. He had a streak a few months ago, where he was reading up on various scientists and their religious beliefs, of all things. There may be hope for him yet._

_Mum and Dad miss you horribly, Ruth, but they're coping. They were just going through the motions at first, but now they're so used to pretending that you're in Sydney, that I think they've even convinced themselves that, sometimes. Other times, Mum will go on about how she'll miss holding her first grandchild. I trust you'll (and that's the plural you) will figure out how to cross-over without breaking the treaty before _that_ becomes an issue._

_School is better this year than it was last. I think I'm getting used to the Australian way of doing things and I've made some friends. I don't miss the Hidden Land as much as I thought I would. I like wearing jeans, having air conditioning, and not having to sew so much. Laura, say hi to Agatha for me, if she doesn't hate me utterly._ Ellen was almost certain Agatha did hate her now. At least Laura had gone back and apologized. Agatha placed great store in apologies. 

_I've mostly been reading books without magic lately. I still like fantasy but it's a nice change of pace and it's comforting in a way. Magic is scary when you get up close to it, the way we did. Mom calls it rubbish, but she says every kid needs some rubbish in their diet. I think she's quoting Aunt Nora, but sometimes she'll come up with these things all on her own._

_Dad's calling me to dinner now, so I'd better go. I'll write more later._

_Your sister (in case you've forgotten),  
Ellen_

_P.S. I'm doing a play at school. I'm not one of the leads but I do have a small speaking part. It's not as good as the Secret, but I'm not sure anything could be._

_P.P.S. Laura, get Fence or someone to teach you magic. I know I said it earlier but you'll just hide and psych yourself out of it. Do it or I'll tell Patrick about the book and he'll cut it open to figure out how it works and we won't be able to write to each other._

_P.P.P.S. I'm not going to tell Patrick, even if Laura doesn't get someone to teach her magic. I miss you even if I don't miss the Hidden Land._

Ellen wiped her pen, blotted her ink, and closed the book. Did it flicker blue? She wasn't sure. But then, this might be a very small magic. If it worked, they'd write back. And that was something to look forward to.

She carefully tucked the book under her pillow for safe-keeping and went downstairs to dinner. She could tell her parents about the play tonight and keep this a secret, at least for a little while.


End file.
